"Tea." Cytheria carefully placed a cup of tea in front of me.
"I appreciate the offer."
Looking at the tea right before me, I was a bit skeptical but didn't want to rouse suspicion, so I raised the cup up to my nostril to appreciate the light scent of the greenness smell. I don't have a keen sense of smell like Lily to discern any abnormality in this drink nor the knowledge regarding teas.
I took the first sip. The rich sweetness of the tea had a weird mouth-drying effect, yet it felt clean and refreshing.
"Tastes good?"
"Tastes wonderful."
"Hum, of course, it would taste wonderful since I made it myself," Cytheria smiled smugly.
"By the way, you—"
-Boom!
"...sure that you're not going to stop that? Your place will get decimated." I pointed to the distance.
"Let them be. Every establishment here is protected by my magic that could withstand even a dragon, so let them wreak havoc. Moreover, I can just restore everything."
I took another sip as I listen.
Then she continued. "Everything you see, touch, or feel in here was created by me, you know? I created all of this from scratch. Do you know how much mana I spent on creating this paradise within a week? I tell you, it's absurd. From the trees, the soil, the concrete, the wood, the gravel, everything." She said casually, as she took another sip.
"As expected for a member of the Tower of Magic," I said flatly, as I also took another sip.
"Boooo~! Boring reaction! You need more 'Ooomph' with your reaction!"
"Huh?"
"More 'Oomph'!"
"Ooomph?"
"Oomph!" She giggled heartily.
"No wonder they called you a bewitching woman, any man will fall to your charms with just a simple smile." After complimenting her beauty, I took another sip of tea, "What a delight."
"And you're a man who knows how to please a woman."
'Why does she need to make it sound so sensual? Just say he knows how to compliment a woman or something!' I cringed inwardly.
"I'm merely saying what's right before my eyes." I cracked a smile.
"Oh, you~ Stop with the flattery words~ You're making me blush." She cupped her face whilst averting her gaze away.
'I wonder how long she can keep up with her acts?'
I propped my chin in the palm of my right hand.
Looking around, the architectural design of the room really caught my attention. The floors are made of thick, woven straw mats as well as the ceiling, sliding doors made up of wooden lattices covered with translucent paper, and on the other side of that door was the mesmerizing sight of the sakura trees blooming in the sky with their pinkness. Shortly after, someone opened the wooden door covered in thick, opaque paper that's commonly used as a partition between adjoined rooms.
"Milady. Please, let me know if you need anything else?" said the woman.
"All good now, thank you~"
"Yes, Milady." The woman nodded and closed the door.
"She's wearing a kimono... Historically, I don't recall the Lemnos kingdom being a part of the Northern Alliance nor having any influence." I commented.
"You could say, my influence is greater than what meets the eye."
"Is that so?"
Cytheria looked down at her cup and steered her cup of tea, "They merely selected the perfect candidate for everyone. Fortunately enough, it was me whom they selected to lead them. That's how the way it is, the value of accomplishments and status is what matters..." Then she stared at her cup deeply.
"Wouldn't you say the same, disciple of the Great Saint?" Cytheria took another sip.
We exchanged looks with each other, but I kept my mouth shut.
Cytheria rose from her seat with a smile and then sat next to me, "I know what you came here for." she said sensually, resting her palm on my thigh.
We're alone in the room which means anything can happen right now. Once I met her lustful gaze, my right eyelid twitched and I sucked a lungful of air through my nose. It felt like I was engulfed deep in her eyes.
'Diamond-shaped?' I thought upon inspecting her eyes closely.
Cytheria's smile suddenly became different which I can't describe then she leaned closer until our lips were an inch apart from touching each other. "Are you familiar with the story of the blind man?" She said with an innocent smile.
"Blind man?"
"There was a blind man in the far countryside who lived a peaceful and wonderful life. The blind man used to walk out every night to gaze upon the stars before his sight was taken away from him, but so on, he kept doing what he loved to do even if it was useless. Then one night, with his whole thoughts rapt up in the skies, he fell into a well... The end."
"What?"
"Isn't it a funny story?" Cytheria wrapped her arms around my neck.
"Why are you telling me such a random story in the midst of...?"
"Because it's funny. Did you like it?"
"No. It's so abrupt and random."
Cytheria then moved her lower half on top of mine, revealing her exposed body in full view. I've been ignoring it the entire time, but now, it's right before my very eyes. "Tempted? I can make you feel better than them." She whispered into my ears.
For a brief second, my face became grim.
"I'd rather call you Ms. Little Virgin," I replied in a joking manner.
"You're so adorable~!" She cupped both of her hands on my cheeks with an adoring look in her eyes. Then she flashed a smile. "Did it make your heart skip a beat? Or, it didn't work again?"
[She knows.] Diana remarked.
[Yeah, she does.]
I scoffed.
"I thought, I would give you a different approach today, a more sincere approach to get closer to your heart," Cytheria said softly, as she caressed my lips.
"... Should've gone that route in the first place." It took me a few seconds to respond.
"Despite your pervertedness, you're an honest kid!" Cytheria chirped.
'Kid... You're not that much older than me.' I retorted inwardly.
"May you forgive me for my unpleasant greeting yesterday." She pressed her palm on my chest and then she cracked a smile, "Mr. blind man?"
"Blind man?"
"Claude Belmont, a child of the Belmont family, abandoned by his own flesh and blood, stripped away of his aristocracy and left all alone in a house to rot. Cruel isn't it? Didn't even bother to send someone to take care of you. Yet, gracious enough to lend you the house for a couple of years." She giggled.
Then she continued. "I wonder what Mr. Blind man found in the well? Treasure? Emptiness? Or an entity? Tell me."
"What the heck are you talking about?" I cocked my head to the right.
"Tell me. What did you sell? Your soul? Your body? Your mind? Greed? Lust? Tell me." She pulled my collar until our faces were inches away.
We stared deeply into each other's eyes, and soon after, I cracked a smile. 'Magicians of the Tower.'
"Ria, I'm here! I bought your favorite swee—" the young man screamed as he rudely opened the door.
The young man was the picturesque beauty of a prince from the fictitious story books made for children, as he emitted a vivacious and gentle nature. He had bright golden curly hair, a manly physique, and crescent-of-moon eyebrows that were thin and narrow, then lastly, an aquiline nose and angular cheekbones carved down toward his flinty jaw. Then in both of his hands, he's carrying two unconscious people: the protagonist and his opponent.
The air became prickly as soon as our eyes met. The man's eyes were somewhat between confusion and anger. I have no clue who that man is, nor his relationship with Cytheria; however, without a doubt, his eyes earlier were swimming with affection toward the woman that I'm embracing.
Then looking over his shoulder, I held my breath as my life flashed before my very eyes when I met the eyes of Adelle and Clara, and behind them, I saw a crowd of people following them with big smiles on their faces; however, those smiles disappeared upon catching sight of Cytheria and me.
'Oh, no, no, no, no!'
"R-Ria?"
Cytheria snapped out of her daze. She just realized the people outside the door, yet she remained poised.
"Hi, my dear fiancee~!" She waved her hand acting like our situation was normal, a woman on top of a man all alone in a room with our faces inches away from kissing each other.
'F-Fiancee! This bitch!'
"W-Why are you b-both naked?!"
'Both?'
I looked down. I saw the buttons on my uniform open then my shirt was stripped off, revealing my bare torso to everyone. Meanwhile, the woman on top of me had already covered herself up which I only took notice of just now.
'Bro... My pants are still on, what are you on? It's just my upper half... Wait, since when?'
"Looks like our conversation would be abruptly put to a halt by my sudden fiancee's appearance," Cytheria giggled.
"Claude." A cold voice reached my ears giving me goosebumps.
I straightened upon hearing the cold voice of Adelle and then inadvertently pushed Cytheria away from me.